Mobile phone transformed into a microscope for rapid processing of pathogens
Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.) have recently successfully developed a low-cost "mobile microscope" that is expected to replace bulky and expensive optical microscopes and become the dominant portable digital diagnostic and therapeutic instrument in the future
Aydogan Ozcan, associate professor of Electronic engineering and member of the Institute of Nanotechnology at the University of California, Los Angeles, successfully transformed an ordinary mobile phone into a digital microscope with disease screening function by using self-designed software and off the shelf hardware worth $10
Simply insert the blood sample slide into the phone through the camera sensor and read the hologram in seconds
Sensors will detect the content of slides and send wireless signals to hospitals or regional medical centers. Typically, mobile phones can detect abnormal changes in blood cells or signs of infection in white blood cells
Ozjan's new invention has undoubtedly opened a new way for rapid processing of pathogen samples. Bahram Jalali, an applied physicist and professor of electrical engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, believes that users no longer need to carry out exhaustive mechanical scanning through the narrow field of vision of the microscope lens, Instead, holograms are used to simultaneously capture the information of all cells. In just a few seconds, the culprit of the disease can be identified among a large number of healthy cells, and previous retrieval programs like looking for a needle in a haystack have become effortless
It is worth mentioning that this device is particularly suitable for remote areas lacking hospitals, technicians, or diagnostic laboratories. Ordinary people can also collect medical information on-site through mobile phone microscopes, which is particularly beneficial for the diagnosis and prevention of malaria
